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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. suit — clothes
  3. root — of a word
  4. suit — to fit
  5. branch — a division
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. scale — in music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. sharp — clever
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fall — the season
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — size or range
  21. root — of a plant
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wound — an injury
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com